For the second time in just three weeks, the Chicago Bears will face the Minnesota Vikings. This time, the matchup is slated for prime time on Monday Night Football. Last time the two teams met, the Bears put together a miraculous comeback in the fourth quarter, only to come up short in overtime in what would be their second consecutive loss to a divisional opponent at the time.
Much has been made about the Bears roster this season, and the discrepancies on the offensive and defensive lines, halting any potential big production from either side of the football. Most notably, the offensive line has allowed rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to be sacked 56 times, the most ever in franchise history.
In this week’s version of “Gimme Him,” we are taking a look at a premier offensive lineman who would most certainly be an upgrade to the struggling Bears unit. Right tackle, Brian O’Neill, may play a position that is filled by second-year player Darnell Wright, who has shown potential, but for someone like O’Neill, a team would find a fit for him.
On the 2024 season, O’Neill has a PFF grade, 83.3, as he’s played 834 snaps so far, being penalized just three times and allowing two sacks. For comparison, the highest-graded Bears offensive lineman, is ironically, Darnell Wright, who has a 77.4 PFF grade for his play this season. In 770 snaps played by Wright, he has committed seven penalties, and allowed five sacks, but he’s graded better in rush blocking this season over pass blocking.
There is zero denying that the Bears have to address the trenches on both sides of the football, and being projected to have three draft picks in the Top 50 selections of the 2025 NFL Draft, that should be the area of focus. Between both their cap space and draft capital, it would be inexcusable for the Bears to not make upgrading both the offensive line and defensive lines as their top priority this offseason.